Your Mental Health Matters
Beth Watson, PhD and Heidi James, MD
The COVID-19 pandemic poses a unique threat to physician - and all health care workers’ - mental health. Dr. Beth Watson, a clinical psychologist who gets extra street cred given she’s married to our very own Dr. Anand “Swami” Swaminathan, joins Dr. Heidi James to discuss.
The good news
- People are resilient; most will make it through the pandemic with no lasting mental health effects
- Emotions are normal; we should resist the urge to pathologize normal emotional responses to the stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic
- Emotions are adaptive; they help us meet the challenges we face
The bad news
- There are many aspects of the COVID-19 that put all health care workers under tremendous stress resulting in psychological trauma
- Mental strain of dealing with a largely unknown illness
- Threat to personal safety and loved one’s safety
- Disruption of routine
- Disconnection from support networks
- Sense of hopelessness and loss from being unable to help patients
Signs that someone - or you - are struggling
- Withdrawal from life and responsibilities
- Extremes in mood, particularly irritability and sadness
- Disrupted sleep and appetite
- Increased alcohol and/or drug consumption
- Thoughts of wanting to end your life
How to look after ourselves (and others!)
- Maintain contact with loved ones; be intentional about this
- Maintain as much of a routine as possible
- Get adequate sleep, exercise, food
Options when self-care alone is not enough
- Therapy
- Many are offering pro-bono work for healthcare professionals
- Many employers offer mental health services for their employees
- See links for contact information, including a list of hotlines
- Contact your primary care physician
- Can offer support and treatment
- Can coordinate care with psychology and psychiatry
The COVID-19 pandemic is a marathon, not a sprint. Maintaining our mental health is of the utmost priority.
Resources
The Other Side of Sadness: What the New Science of Bereavement Tells Us About Life After Loss
https://www.basicbooks.com/titles/george-a-bonanno/the-other-side-of-sadness/9781541699427/
The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/resources/the-body-keeps-the-score
Mindfulness Meditation - Practices with Jon Kabat-Zinn
https://www.mindfulnesscds.com/
Headspace - Free mindfullness app
https://www.headspace.com/
Ten Percent Happier - Free access for healthcare workers
American Psychological Association - Crisis Hotlines and Resources
https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/crisis
Northern New Jersey Trauma Recovery Network
https://nnjtrn.org/
